Call for Art! Artists and creators of all ages, mark your calendars! If you live in the Morongo Basin and have an interest in recycling, repurposing, and reimagining, now is your opportunity to share your artistic transformations at the Hi-Desert Nature Museum’s 20th annual recycled art exhibition, this year titled, “Wondrous Waste.” To see a list of the Rules and Regulations for the exhibition, please click here.
Entries from Morongo Basin artists can be brought to the Museum from March 11-14, 2026. Entries from artists outside the Morongo Basin will be accepted March 14th if space is available.
The exhibition, “Wondrous Waste: 2026 Recycled Art Exhibition,” will run from Saturday, March 21 through Saturday, May 9, 2026.
For additional information, please contact Collections & Exhibits Coordinator Charlie Rossow at 760-369-7212 or crossow@yucca-valley.org.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 14, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Discover the FUN in the fundamentals of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math with hands-on art projects that promote lateral thinking and enhance creativity. See abstract ideas come to life through interactive activities that aim to heighten comprehension of core STEAM subjects and highlight interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving.
The workshop is $15 per participant and registration is required. These workshops fill up fast, so early registration is highly recommended! Click here to register!
Saturday, March 28, 2026
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Everyone is welcome!
Free, registration not required.
Artists, their friends and family, and the public is welcome at this free artist reception celebrating the numerous artists featured in the Wondrous Waste: 2026 Recycled Art Exhibition!
Visitors’ Choice Awards will be displayed and all visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy refreshments as they peruse the artwork and enjoy lively conversation with the artists.
Voting for Visitors’ Choice takes place during normal operating hours Saturday, March 21 – Friday March 27, 2026 in the Museum.
Ages 7-9 years-old
March 25-27, 2026 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day
$50 per camper
This spring, let your child’s curiosity blossom! Our three-day Jr. Naturalist Camp invites kids to become explorers of the natural world through hands-on adventures at the museum and beyond.
Spaces are limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.
Ages 10-13 years-old
April 1-3, 2026 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day
$50 per camper
This spring, let your child’s curiosity blossom! Our three-day Jr. Naturalist Camp invites kids to become explorers of the natural world through hands-on adventures at the museum and beyond.
Spaces are limited and registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.
Currently On Display
NATURE'S BLUEPRINTS:
BIOMIMICRY IN ART AND DESIGN
On Display November 22, 2025 to March 7, 2026
The exhibition, Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design, brings together art and design with environmental science using artifacts, artworks and photography, as well as interactive learning stations.
This exhibition is aimed to encourage discourse among audiences of all backgrounds as our understanding of the natural world can lead to some extraordinary creations that improve lives and reduce our impact on the environment. Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design is an adaptation of the High Desert Museum’s Innovation Lab: Design Inspired by Nature, and is produced and toured by ExhibitsUSA, a program of Mid-America Arts Alliance.
Click here for more information on Nature’s Blueprints: Biomimicry in Art and Design.
Photo Credits:
*Roger Bruhn, Photograph of Patrick Dougherty’s Three of a Kind, Private Residence in Nebraska, 2013; digital photograph, 10 7/8 x 16 3/8; Courtesy of Karen and Robert Duncan
*Alan Bur Johnson, Progeny Fig. 2, 2011; photographic transparencies and insect pins, 15 x 18 x 3 inches framed; Courtesy of the artist and Lisa Sette Gallery
Our Giant Rock: A Community Touchstone in the Mojave
A digital exhibit and archive about Giant Rock, a 30,000 ton granite boulder located in the Morongo Basin.
This interactive touchscreen exhibit encourages visitors to discover and explore the nuances that make Giant Rock a unique and cherished Morongo Basin landmark. Giant Rock is most notoriously known for the ‘giant’ personalities who lived near and even under it. However, it has also served as an intermediary for certain stories and events. The exhibit provides a series of interpretive narratives explaining these nuances while incorporating some never-before-seen images, documents, publications, and videos which help illustrate Giant Rock’s history.
Our Giant Rock: A Community Touchstone in the Mojave,was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Would you like to make a donation? Museum staff are happy to accept your donation in person or you can click the link below to be taken the Recreation Management portal to complete an online donation. Simply click on the green Museum tab, then Museum Sponsorship, and select your donation level. Your donations help fund children’s education programming, animal caretaking, exhibit maintenance, and so much more! Thank you for your kind donation!
